Car-coupling



(No Model.)

. U. BEAUSEJOUR.

GAR COUPLING. No. 313,977. Patented Mar. 17,- 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT Trice,

URGEL BEAUSEJOUR, OF EAST SAGINAV, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,977, dated March 17, 1885.

I Application filed August 2, 1884. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, URGEL BEAUSEJGUR, of East Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the acccompanying drawing, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplings of that class which will couple automatically when two cars to which they are attached are driven together, and which can be uncoupled without the necessity of going between the cars for that purpose, and which can be set so that in sh unting the cars will not couple together.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, my invention is shown in perspective, taken in reverse, or, in other words, looking upward at the bottom of the car-frame, showing only one end of such car, it, however, being necessary to have a duplicate of the invention on both ends of the car.

A represents the bed timbers of a car,below or to which are secured the timbers B, between which the buffer-spring O operates,and through which passes the rod D,to the forward end of which is pivotally secured the latch or hook coupling-bar E, the front end of which is supported by one or more stirrups, F, all constructed and arranged in the ordinary manner.

A spring, G, is so arranged as to exert its force against the rear side of the latch as shown.

A chain or cord, H, is secured at one end to the rear side of said coupling-bar and at the other to one end of the lever I, which is pivotally secured to the timbers of the bed- A pawl, O, is secured to each side of the car in such position as to allow them to be engaged with the ratchet-wheels when desired.

\Vhen it is desired to couple cars together, the pawls are disengaged from the ratchets, when the spring, pressing against the side of the coupling bar, will force such bar into line with the buffer-bar,inclosed within thebufferspring. The coupling upon the end of the adjacent car being in the same position,if the cars are run together the coupling-bars will engage their respective latches, each with the other, and the springs bearing against the rear faces of each will hold them in their engagement.

To uncouple, the operator turns one of the' hand-wheels, thereby'winding up the chain and drawing back the free end of the coupling-bars. If it is desired to prevent coupling, as in shunting, when the parts are in the position last described, the pawl is engaged with the ratchet-wheel by the operator, when shunting may be done without danger of coupling. As these pawls are overweighted at their lower ends, a slight turn of the'shaft in the right direction disengages the pawl and ratchet, and the pawl remains hanging in a vertical position.

To enable this device to be successfully em- I ployed upon cars of different heights, I make the latch-head P longer vertically than the width of the bar proper, allowing such additional width to project vertically beyond the said bar. A stirrup-stop, R, is so located as to embrace the coupling-latch and limit its movement under the action of the spring in the rear of said bar, or that of the shaft and its connections.

By the employment of a coupling, as described,there is no necessity of going between the cars for the purpose of coupling or uncoupling, as the whole work is controlled from the sides of the car through the means set forth.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a carcoupling, the combination of the latch-coupling E, pivoted to the rod D, the shaft L,journaled across the bed of the car,the lever I, pivoted to said bed, handwheels M and ratchet wheels N, secured upon the projecting ends of said shaft, the chain J, connecting the shaft with one end of said lever, and the chain H, connecting the opposite end of said lever with the coupling-latch E, sub- I the lever to the end of the latch E, the chain [0 stnntially as, and for the purpose specified. J, connecting the opposite end of said lever 2. The combination of the latch or coupling with said shaft, and the spring G,arranged to bar E, the shaft L, journaled across the bed of bear on said latch, substantially as and for the the car, hand-Wheels M and ratchet wheels N, purpose specified.

pawls O, pivoted to the car-body, the lever I, pivoted at the center of its length to the bed of the car, the chain ILconnecting one end of Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, Guns. THURMAN.

l secured to the projecting ends of said shaft, i URGEL BEAUSEJOUR. 

